Tying mechanism



June 13, 1961 CHEATUM 2,988,115

TYING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 16, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. L. G. CHEATUM June 13, 1961 G. CHEATUM TYING MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 16, 1958 m m M L. G. CHEATUM June 13, 1961 CHEATUM 2,988,115

TYING MECHANISM Filed J' ln. 16, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. L. e. CHEATUM United States Patent 2,988,115 TYING MECHANISM Leo G. Cheatum, Ottumwa, Iowa, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Deere & Company, a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 16, 1958, Ser. No. 709,346 19 Claims. (Cl. 140-149) This invention relates to a tying mechanism particularly adapted for use on agricultural balers. More particularly, the invention relates to a wire tier and has for its principal object the provision of an improved mechanism having design characteristics featuring economy and simplicity of construction, efiicient operation and ease of maintenance.

The basic principle involved in the tying operation disclosed here is known, characterized in that one end of a wire or equivalent strand is gripped while the bale is being formed, and the opposite end of the wire is then brought up to the gripping means to be twisted together with the first end by appropriate twister means. The gripping device operates initially to hold the first end and operates subsequently to release the first end, to cut the second end and to grip the second end for the formation of a succeeding bale.

One problem encountered in strand-handling mechanisms of this character is that of timing the gripping means, not only as respects each other but as respects the input means that drives them. This problem has been solved in the prior art by the provision of relatively complicated adjustments, and these have been required because there is always a certain amount of overrun between the drive means and the gripping means. According to the present invention, the need for adjustment is eliminated by utilizing a two-way yieldable drive connection incorporating springs or other resilient elements capable of transmitting the necessary forces to achieve the gripping operation but yieldable to enable the input or drive means to overrun. A further object of the invention is to provide the force-transmitting means in the form of a tie rod mounted on the gripping members by connection to the swingable gripping levers independently of any other support, thus minimizing the number of parts and simplifying the construction. In its specific aspects, the invention affords a tubular tie rod means in which the yielding means are enclosed. Other objects of the invention reside in improved means for supporting the various parts of the tying mechanism on a transverse shaft; the use of a carrier bracket or mounting plate serving to mount the cooperattive strand-handling means as well as to journal a shaft for driving these means; and such other features and objects, inherent in and encompassed by the invention, as will become apparent from the disclosure of a preferred embodiment of the invention in the ensuing description and accompanying sheets of drawings, the several figures of which are described immediately below.

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective showing the tying mechanism and a portion of a baler on which it is mounted.

FIG. 2 is a plan of a portion of the structure of FIG. 1, partly in section and showing in broken lines the carrier bracket or mounting plate.

FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective of a portion of the mechanism shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the tying mechamsm.

FIG. 5 is a section as seen on the line 5--5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a section on the line 66 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is an elevation, with parts omitted, as seen generally on the line 7-7 of FIG. 5, illustrating one stage in the gripping and releasing operation.

PatentedJune 13, .1961

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FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 but showing a succeeding stage in the operation.

FIG. 9 shows a further stage in the operation.

Familiarity with agricultural baler construction is assumed and for that reason only such portion of a baler is illustrated as is necessary to orient the invention. In FIG. 1, the numeral 10 designates in each. case the side frame members of the bale case in which a bale is formed by a reciprocating plunger, for example (not shown). As the material from which the bale is formed accumulates, the bale moves rearwardly or in the direction of the arrow 12.

The tying mechanism is indicated in its entirety by the numeral 14 and is preferably mounted on top of the bale case 10 as by a pair of transversely spaced apart supports 16, one of which is enclosed at 18 in FIG. 1 for shielding an input shaft 20 and suitable clutch mechanism, the details of whch are not material here. This clutch mechanism is periodically tripped, as is understood by those versed in the art, by means of a measuring wheel 22 having suitable operating linkage such as that suggested at 24. Periodic engagement of the normally disengaged clutch mechanism occurs when sufiicient material has been accumulated to form a bale, and the clutch mechanism sets the tying mechanism into operation to tie one of more strands about the bale, an operation that is by itself as old as the art of automatic baling.

The basic drive shaft for the tying mechanism 14 is a horizontal first shaft 26 which is idle during the formation of the bale and which operates through one revolution to perform the tying operation. In addition to driving the several components of the tying mechanism, the shaft 26 serves to raise and lower a needle 28 (FIG. 4) by means of one or more crank arms and links, such as those shown at 30 and 32 in FIG. 1. As is conventional, the needle is down during formation of the bale and is brought up to the FIG. 4 position when suflicient material has been accumulated to require tying, the signal for which event is given by the measuring wheel 22 to the one-revolution clutch mechanism referred to generally above.

The shaft 26 carries thereon a pair of mounting elements 34. These are spaced apart axially of the shaft, as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, and each element has a rearward or radially directed portion 36 which terminates at a rear generally upright mounting face or pad 38. These pads are coplanar and serve to mount a carrier bracket in the form of a plate 49 of L-shaped section (FIGS. 1 and 4). The plate 40 has a first generally upright flange 42 and an integral second flange 44 arranged at a downwardly and rearwardly sloping angle to the flange 42. The mounting elements 34 are turnable on the shaft 26 and securing of the plate 46 to the mounting pads or faces 38 of these elements rigidly interconnects and maintains the spacing between the elements. A plurality of removable fasteners, such as cap screws 46, may he used to secure the plate to the pads 38.

In addition to the function and purpose described above, the plate 40 serves also to mount a pair of strand-handling means, each indicated in its entirety by the numeral 48. These are spaced apart generally on the order of the mounting elements 34 and arranged beltiw the ledge afforded by the second flange 44 on the p ate.

Each mounting element 34 is preferably in the form of a casting having an upper bearing portion 50 for journaling a second horizontal shaft 52, and this shaft has keyed thereto a pair of axially spaced bevel pinions 54. The portion 36 of each mounting element 34 has intermediate its front and rear ends, or intermediate the shaft 26 and the plate 40, an upright bearing portion 56 which journals asssus a vertical twister shaft 58. Each twister shaft depends in proximity to the associated strand-handling means 48 and has at its lower end a twister hook 60, the purpose of which will be described, below. Each twister shaft 58 has keyed to its upper end a bevel pinion 6,2 which is. in constant meshwith the respective bevel pinion 54 on the second. cross. shaft 52 These bevel Ions thus afford drive means between the sh ft. 52 and the twister shafts 58.

The shaft 52has keyed thereto, intermediatethe pinions 54, a mutilated spur pinion 64 which. cooperates with an intermittent gear 66 on the cross, shaft 26. The use of mutilated pinions and intermittent gears in tying meehanisms is old, of course, and the details of those presently disclosed need not be elaborated beyond the extent to indicate that the normally idle shaft 26 is the basic shaft when connected by the one revolution clutch previously referred to. When the shaft 26is idle, the intermittent gear 66 is also idle, and it has a peripheral rim portion 68. hi h oope t s a o n io a nn r a stop portion or cam 70 on the pinion 64 so that the pinion 64 is turned during only part of the one-revolution of the mutilated gear 66 The peripheralportion 68 of the intermittent gear 66 is, of course, cut away at 72 in angularly coextensive relationship to a tooth portion 74, so that when the teeth 74 engage the pinion 64,,the cut away portion 72 permits the stop cam 70 on the pinion 64 to tnrnuntil the teeth 74 :run out, at which time the stop cam 70 again rides on the uninterrupted peripheral portion 68. The gear and pinionare so designed that one revolution of the gear 66 will produce several revolutions of the pinion 64, and the.bevelgearing 54.62 will the correct number of revolutions to the twister shafts 58. In the preferred design, each twister shaft may have five revolutions.

The ledge or second flange 44 of the plate 40 mounts generally centrally thereof a depending bearing means 76 which supports a generally fore-and-aft extending shaft having keyed to its front end a disc 80 on which are mounted a pair of diametrically opposed rollers 82 (FIG. 6). The intermittent gear 66 has a radial rim portion 84 interrupted by a single notch 86. During a substantial portion of the revolution of the gear 66, the rollers 82 ride the rim or edge 84, but at a predetermined interval, the notch 86 approaches one of the rollers 82 as the gear moves in the direction of the arrow 88. A cross pin 90, carried by the shaft 78, projects atone end into the path of a lug 92 on the gear 66 so that ultimately the lug 92 strikes the projecting end of the pin 90, turning the shaft so that the lowermost roller in FIG. 6 enters the notch 86. As the gear continues, a driving connection is established at 82-86 and the shaft 78 is turned through 180 as the engaged roller 82 be comes disengaged when the notch 86 passes through a predetermined angular distance, at which time the two rollers 82 again ride the flat uninterrupted rim edge 84 so that the shaft 78 cannot turn. Upon the next revolution of the intermittent gear 66 the shaft 78 is turned through another 180. Thus, the shaft 78 is given one complete revolution for every two revolutions of; the intermittent gear 66.

The rear end of the fore-'and-aft shaft 78 has keyed thereto a disc 94 which carries a single roller 96 in the position of and operating as a crank. Since, as previously described, the shaft 78 has a movement of 180, is then idle, and then has a subsequent movement of 180, the crank 96 will change positions from one side to the other of a median plane including the axis of the shaft 78. It is this movement that actuates the strandhandling means 48, the details of which will presently appear.

'From the description thus-far, it will be seen that the two mounting elements 34 are carried on the cross shaft 26 and they in turn are rigidly united and bridged by the carrier plate 40. In addition, the mounting elements 34 carry-the cross shaft 52 and-the twister shafts 58. The

bearing means 76 carries the fore-and-aft shaft 78 in proper relation to the intermittent gear 66, thus assuring accuracy and efiiciency in operation. Further than this, the plate 40 and the bearing means 76 combine to mount the two strand-handling means 48. For this purpose, the bearing means 76 is in the form of a casting having bosses or spacer means 98. The outermost two of the spager means cooperate with additional and individual spacer means 189 to carry lower parts or support plates 102, one for each strand-handling means 48. A plurality of bolts, as at 104, are passed through the plate flange 44, casting bosses 98 and spacers 100, and thus rigidly mount the strand-handling means lower plates 182 A cross bar 106 spans opposite sides of the bale case between the two side supports 16 and extends just below the tying mechanism 14. This cross member has theron a U -sh ped bracket 108 which threadedly receives the lower end of a releasable screw 110. When this screw is loosened and removed, the entire tying mechanism asa unit may be swung upwardly about the axis of the shaft 26 to facilitateinspection, repair and adjustment.

Each strand-handling means comprises, in additionto the supporting plate 102,, a gripper member in the form of a lever 112 which is swingable back and forthahout a pivot pin 114 extending between the plate flange 44 and the associated lower plate 102.

Since the strand-handling means 48 are identieal only one need be described. These are best shown in FIGS. 5, 7, 8 and'9.

The lower support plate or part 182 is notched at 116 and carries at opposite sides of the notch fixed abutments or gripper blocks118 with which the nose 121 of the grips perileyer 112 selectively cooperates as. the gripper lever isswungback and forth across the. notch 116. When the gripper lever 112 is in the position shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, its nose has closed uponthe proxirniateedge portion 122 of the left hand gripperv block or abutment 118 as seenin FIG. 5. This creates a gripping action on one endportion124 of a wire 126 which'extendsdownwardly (FIG, 4) and then rearwardly, under a guide 12-8 and about a bale being formed. The other end of the Wire is carried by theneedle and when the needleis up" as. shown in FIG. 4, this portion 130 of the wire isplacd in the notch 116 on the other side of the gripper lever nose 120. The two wire portions thus cross at 132 above the twister hook 60 and below the gripper means, as best shown in 1 -1614. The tying mechanism then opcrates to rotate the twister book so asto twist the two wirestogether to form afknot therein, after. which the lever 12 0 swings to the right, releasingv the wire portion. 124 and beginning to engage the wire 138 as shown, in FIG. 8. As the gripper lever moves toits FIG. 9 or final position to the right as seen in 1 16.5 (tothc left as seen in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9) it crimps and gripsthewire 131) andthe lower portion ofthe nose 120. is shaped as a cutter 134whichhas a shearing relationship with the associated corner 1360f the notch 1'16, thu s cutting the wire 130 in two, retaining the upper portion and allowing the lower portion, as at 138, to moveout with the bale, since the portion 138 has been twisted with the other portion to form the twist or knot just described. The-wire from 130 then extends rearwardly and around-the succeeding bale and the next time that the needle brings up a-wire, it places it to the left of the gripper lever: nose 128 and the operation is repeated. Thisfundamentally is an.-old.tyiug principle and has been somewhat elaborated here merclyto establish a background for the improvements in the driving connection between the crank 96ancl the gripper levers 112, which connection is indicated in its entirety by the numeral 148.

As will be understood from FIG; 5 and the preceding description, as each gripper lever 112 swings back and forth between the spaced apartv gripper blocks 118110 close upon the alternatewire portions, its rangeis limited. In addition, its movement is .limitedto swinging andnot rotating movement. Hence, various problems are presented in the proper design and operation of the mechanism. The drive connection 144] between the crank 96 on the fore-and-aft shaft 78 converts the rotary motion of the shaft to oscillation of the levers 112 in properly timed relationship, so that for each one-half revolution of the shaft 78 the gripper levers 112 move from one gripper block to the other. Because of the intermittent drive means shown in FIG. 6, the gripper levers have idle periods in which their sole function is to retain the gripped wire, as at 124, while the bale is being formed. As the tying mechanism is activated or energized, the shaft 78 rotates and swings the levers 112 to the other side so that they release the wires 124 and grip the new Wires 130, besides functioning to cut off the wire portions 138 as already described.

The driving connection comprises a tubular tie rod 142 formed with a central guide or yoke 144 which receives the roller or crank 96. Hence, as the shaft 78 turns, the crank 96 will reciprocate the tie rod 142. The tie rod is connected to the gripper levers 112 so that reciprocation of the tie rod is converted into oscillation of the gripper levers. It will be seen that rotation of the shaft 76 causes the crank 96 to travel through a fixed range, and in the event that this range is greater than that of either gripper lever 112, there will be a certain amount of overrun of the gripper levers by the crank. As already indicated, this has been accommodated in the past by adjusting the gripper blocks 118. However, this is a cumbersome job and requires relatively expensive construction. According to the present invention, the overrun is accommodated by a pair of two-way yielding devices incorporated in the driving tie rod 142. For this purpose, the tie rod is plugged at opposite ends by plugs 146 which are pinned in place. At each side of the yoke 144 and within the tubular tie rod there is carried a shiftable plug 148 which is pinned to the forked end 150 of the gripper lever 112 by a pin 152. The tie rod is slotted at 154 lengthwise thereof to accommodate the pin 152 and axial movement of the element or plug 148. A compression spring 156 is interposed between one side of the plug 148 and the proximate fixed plug 146, and this spring urges the movable plug 148 toward the yoke 144. However, a second compression spring 158 is interposed at this point to act against the plug 148 and to react against the yoke 144 via an intervening spacer 161). This spacer occurs at only one side of the tie rod because of the slight offset of the yoke 144 as respects the exact center of the tie rod. This lack of symmetry is immaterial and need not be described, except to indicate that it is provided to accommodate the particular location of the fore-and-aft shaft 78, due to pecularities in design.

Thus, the movable members or plugs 148 are centered by the springs 156 and 158. As seen in FIG. 5, with the crank 96 to the right, resulting in swinging of the levers 112 to the left, the left hand spring 156 at one' side of the yoke and the spring 158 at the other side of the yoke are under compression. The springs are selected on the basis of their ability to transmit the necessary force to the levers 112 to achieve proper gripping and cutting of the wire; yet, the springs may yield in the event that the crank 96 and tie rod overtravel relative to the gripper levers 112. When the shaft 78 is reversed, the crank of course moves the tie rod in the opposite direction, and the opposite springs act in compression to apply sufiicient force to the levers 11-2 to achieve the gripping action at the opposite gripper blocks 118.

Another feature of the drive connection is that the pins 152 serve as the sole support of the tie rod on the gripper levers 112, thus eliminating the need for any separate guides for the tie rod. Although the gripper levers 112 move in arcuate paths as respects their outer ends 150, the depth of the guide or yoke 144 is sutiicient to prevent separation thereof from the crank 96.

Another feature of the plate 40 is that it is apertured at 162 to accommodate the needles as they move up.

A brief summary of the operation of the tying mechanism is as follows: during the formation of the bale, the gripper levers 112 are in their FIG. 5 positions to hold the wire portion ends 124, so that the remainder of the wire is looped about the bale and is brought forwardly to the down" needles. As the measuring wheel 22 and associated linkage 24 signal the attainment by the bale of a predetermined size, the one revolution clutch (not shown) is engaged to turn the shaft 26 through one complete revolution. As the shaft 26 turns, the needles move upwardly and bring up the wire portions 130 to cross at 132 with the wire portions 124; The wire portion brought up at each side is received in the notch 1 16 to the right of the gripper lever noses as respects the positions shown in FIG. 5. Just prior to the attainment by the needles of their uppermost limit, the drive means causes the twister hooks 60 to rotate, gathering the needlecarried wire into its hook portion along with the other wire. After the twister hook has rotated enough to apply tension to the held end 124 of the wire, the gripper lever drive mechanism 140 is activated to cause the gripper levers 112 to release the held wires 124 and to move to the opposite side to cut off and grip the other wires 130. The shape of the slot in the twister hook is such that the slot in width is greater than one wire diameter but less than two wire diameters. Therefore it is impossible for two wires in the slot to roll or pass over each other. Since the twister hook rotates through five revolutions, a sutficient twist is applied to the two wires to complete an adequate knot therein. The needles then move down and the wire is stretched across in front of the next succeeding charge of material and the wire held at (FIG. 9) will begin the duplication of a tying phase similar to that described, except that the gripper levers 112 will of course be to the right rather than to the left as seen in FIG. 5. In short, each revolution of the shaft 26 produces a half revolution of the gripper drive shaft 78, as well as five revolutions of the twister hooks 60. As already indicated, the tying mechanism is idle while the bale is being accumulated.

The inventive design features simplicity and ease of maintenance. The entire structure is mounted by the elements 34 on the cross shaft 26 and release of the means 110 enables the entire mechanism to be turned upwardly about the axis of the shaft 26 for inspection, adjustment and repair. The novel drive means eliminates the need for delicate adjustment as respects the gripping function.

Features other than those specifically enumerated will readily occur to those versed in the art, as will modifications in the preferred embodiment disclosed, all of which may be achieved without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Tying mechanism, comprising: a support; a pair of strand-handling means on the support, including a pair of levers swingable back and forth on parallel axes through a limited range; a unidirectionally rotatable shaft mounted on the support intermediate the levers and having a crank pin; tie rod means spanning the levers and having opposite end portions respectively proximate to the levers and an intermediate portion proximate to the crank pin; drive means interconnecting the crank pin and the intermediate portion of the tie rod means for reciprocating the tie rod means through a range greater than that of the levers as the shaft rotates; and a pair of two-wayyieldable force-transmitting means respectively connecting the tie rod end portions .to the lovers for accommodating overrun of the levers by the tie rod means as the range of the latter exceeds that of the former.

2. The invention defined in claim 1, in which: the tie rod means is tubular and the force-transmitting means include spring elements housed in said tie rod means.

3. The invention defined in claim 1, in which: the drive means at the intermediate portion of the tie rod means includes a guide receiving the crank pin so as to enable separation of the tie rod means from the crank pin in a direction endwise of said pin; and the force-transmitting means include connections normally maintaining such relationship between the tie rod means and levers as to prevent separation of the tie rod means from the crank pm.

4. Tying mechanism, comprising: a support; a pair of strand-handling means on the support, including a pair of levers swingable back and forth on parallel axes through a limited range; tie rod means spanning the levers and having opposite end portions respectively proximate to the levers; means for reciprocating the tie rod means through a range greater than that of the levers; and a pair of two-way-yieldable force-transmitting means respectively connecting the tie rod end portions to the levers for accommodating overrun of the levers by the tie rod means as the range of the latter exceeds that of the former.

5. Tying mechanism, comprising: a support; a pair of strand-handling means on the support, including a pair of members movable back and forth through a limited range; a unidirectionally rotatable shaft mounted on the support intermediate the levers and having a crank pin; tie rod means spanning the members and having opposite end portions spectively proximate to the members and an intermediate portion proximate to the crank pin; drive means interconnecting the crank pin and the intermediate portion of the tie rod means for reciprocating the tie rod means through a range greater than that of the members as the shaft rotates; and a pair of twoway-yieldable force-transmitting means respectively connecting the tie rod end portions to the members for accommodating overrun of the members by the tie rod means as the range of the latter exceeds that of the former.

6. Tying mechanism, comprising: a support; a pair of spaced apart abutment elements fixed to the support; a movable member mounted on the support for movement in one direction toward one element to close upon said element for engaging a strand portion and for movement in the opposite direction toward the other element to close upon said other element to engage another strand portion; a unidirectionally rotatable drive part on the support; and pitman means interconnecting said part and the movable member and including a two-way yieldable device enabling said part to overrun the member in either direction of movement of said member.

7. Tying mechanism, comprising: a support; a pair of spaced apart abutment elements fixed to the support; a movable member mounted on the support for movement in one direction toward one element to close upon said element for engaging a strand portion and for movement in the opposite direction toward the other element to close upon said other element to engage another strand portion, the range of movement of said member being thereby limited by said elements; drive means on the support and operative through a range greater than that of the movable member as said member moves back and forth between the elements; and a yieldable forcetransmitting connection between the drive means and the movable member and accommodating the difference in said ranges.

8. Tying mechanism, comprising: a support; a pair of spaced apart abutment elements fixed to the support; a movable member mounted on the support for movement in one direction toward one element to close upon said element for engaging a strand portion and for movement in the opposite direction toward the other element to close upon said other element to engage another strand portion, the range of movement of said member being thereby limited by said elements; drive means on the support and operative through a range greater than that of the movable member as said member moves back and forth between the elements; a tubular pitman between the drive means and the movable member and containing a reaction member connected to the movable member and shiftable lengthwise of said pitman and a pair of springs respectively at opposite sides of the reaction member and acting in opposite directions against the pitman and reacting against the reaction member.

9. Tying mechanism, comprising: a support; a pair of strand-handling means on the support, including a pair of members movable back and forth through a limited range; a unidirectionally rotatable shaft mounted on the support intermediate the levers and having a crank pin; hollow tie rod means spanning the members and having opposite end portions respectively proximate to the members and an intermediate portion proximate to the crank pin; drive means on the support and interconnecting the crank pin and the intermediate portion of the tie rod means for reciprocating the tie rod means through a range greater than that of the members as the shaft rotates; a pair of blocks loosely received within and axially spaced apart in the tie rod means and connected respectively to the member; abutment means fixed in the tie rod means intermediate the plugs; a first pair of springs respectively at opposite sides of the abutments and acting respectively against the blocks; a pair of end plugs respectively fixed at the end portions of the tie rod means respectively in axially spaced relation to the blocks; and a second pair of springs respectively between the end plugs and the blocks and acting in opposition to the first pair of springs.

10. The invention defined in claim 5, in which: the tie rod means is tubular and the force-transmitting means include spring elements housed in said tie rod means.

11. Tying mechanism, comprising: a support; a horizontal first shaft carried by the support; a pair of mounting elements spaced axially apart on and carried by the shaft, each element having a portion extending generally radially as respects the shaft and terminating in a substantially upright face, said faces being coplanar; a drive member on the shaft between said elements; a plate of substantially L-shaped section having a first flange spanning and rigidly secured to said faces and an integral second flange at an angle to the first flange and affording a transverse mounting ledge; bearing means disposed below and secured to said second flange; a second shaft disposed radially to the first shaft and journaled in said bearing means; a second drive member on the second shaft and engageable with the aforesaid first drive member; strand-feeding means on the support and operative to feed a pair of strands toward and below the second flange, one strand at each side of the bearing means; a pair of strand-handling means disposed below and secured to said second flange, one at each side of the bearing means and operative respectively to receive the strands in tying relation; and drive means operative between the second shaft and the strand-handling means for causing the latter to tie the strands.

12. The invention defined in claim 11, in which: each strand-handling means includes a part spaced below the second flange of the plate; spacer means is interposed between said second flange and each of said parts; and said parts are secured additionally to the bearing means, said bearing means being so dimensioned vertically as to afford additional spacer means.

13. The invention defined in claim 11, including: a pair of generally upright shafts journaled respectively in the mounting elements and depending therefrom in cooperative relation to the respective strand-handling means.

14. Tying mechanism, comprising: a support; a horizontal first shaft carried by the support; a pair of mounting elements spaced axially apart on and carried by the shaft, each element having a portion extending generally radially as respects the shaft and terminating in a substantially upright face, said faces being coplanar; a drive member on the shaft between said elements; a carrier bracket rigidly secured to said faces and having a transverse mounting ledge; bearing means disposed below and secured to said ledge; a second shaft disposed radially to the first shaft and journaled in said bearing means; a second drive member on the second shaft and engageable with the aforesaid first drive member; strand-feeding means on the support and operative to feed a pair of strands toward and below said ledge, one strand at each side of the bearing means; a pair of strand-handling means disposed below and secured to said ledge, one at each side of the bearing means and operative respectively to receive the strands in tying relation; and drive means operative between the second shaft and the strandhandling means for causing the latter to tie the strands.

15. The invention defined in claim 14, including: a pair of generally upright shafts journaled respectively in the mounting elements and depending therefrom in cooperative relation to the respective strand-handling means.

16. The invention defined in claim 15, including: a further shaft paralleling the first shaft and journaled in the mounting elements; and a pair of drive means on said further shaft for respectively driving the upright shafts.

17. Tying mechanism for a baler having a bale case, comprising: a shaft transverse to one side of the bale case; means mounting the shaft on the bale case; means on the bale case for moving a pair of strands across the bale case from the opposite side thereof toward the shaft in tying zones spaced apart axially of the shaft; a tying unit swingable about the axis of the shaft between in and out positions respectively proximate to and outwardly remote from the tying zones and including a pair of mounting elements spaced axially apart on the shaft and extending radially therefrom to coterminous support portions, a carrier spanning and rigidly secured to said portions, and a pair of tiers mounted on the carrier in spaced apart relation according to the tying zones for respectively receiving and tying the strands when the unit is in its in position; means releasably securing the unit to the bale case in its in position; and drive means for operating the tiers, including cooperative parts respectively on the shaft and carrier and interconnected adjacent to the shaft by a driving connection so constructed and arranged as to permit said swinging of the unit free from interference by said connection.

18. Tying mechanism, comprising: a support; a pair of strand-handling means on the support, including a pair of levers swingable back and forth on parallel axes through a limited angular range; tie rod means transverse to said axes and spanning the levers and having opposite end portions respectively proximate to the levers; means on the support and connected to and for reciprocating the tie rod means through a linear range greater than that of the levers; and a pair of t-wo-way-yieldable force-transmitting means respectively connecting the tie rod end portions to the levers for accommodating overrun of the levers by the tie rod means as the range of the latter exceeds that of the former, said tie rod means being free of confinement by the support and said pair of force-transmitting means respectively including pivotal supporting connections to the tie rod means and comprising the sole means for supporting the tie rod means so that said tie rod means thereby partakes of the swinging motion of the levers and thus departs from a straight-line path during reciprocation thereof; and the means for reciprocating the tie rod means including a driving connection accommodating said departure of the tie rod means from said straight-line path.

19. Tying mechanism, comprising a support; a first shaft carried by and outwardly of the support; a pair of mounting elements spaced axially apart on and carried by the shaft, each element having a portion extending generally radially as respects the shaft and terminating in a mounting face substantially normal to the support, said faces being coplanar; a drive member on the shaft between said elements; a carrier bracket rigidly secured to said faces and having a transverse mounting ledge at an angle to the plane of said faces; bearing means secured to said ledge intermediate said ledge and the support; a second shaft disposed radially to the first shaft and journaled in said bearing means; a second drive member on the second shaft and engageable with the aforesaid first drive member; strand-feeding means on the support and operative to feed a pair of strands toward the ledge, one strand at each side of the bearing means; a pair of strand-handling means disposed between the ledge and the support and secured to said ledge, one at each side of the bearing means and operative respectively to receive the strands in tying relation; and drive means operative between the second shaft and the strand-handling means for causing the latter to tie the strands.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,195,122 Wilt Aug. 15, 1916 1,622,919 Miller Mar. 29, 1927 2,513,967 Raney et al. July 4, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 200,196 Australia Nov. 11, 1955 

